Title: Fighting Redemption
Author: Kate McCarthy
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: December 2, 2013
Book Summary:
Ryan Kendall is broken. He understands pain. He knows the hand of violence and the ache of loss. He knows what it means to fail those who need you. Being broken doesn’t stop him wanting the one thing he can’t have; Finlay Tanner. Her smile is sweet and her future bright. She’s the girl he grew up with, the girl he loves, the girl he protects from the world, and from himself.
At nineteen, Ryan leaves to join the Australian Army. After years of training he becomes an elite SAS soldier and deploys to the Afghanistan war. His patrol undertakes the most dangerous missions a soldier can face. But no matter how far he runs, or how hard he fights, his need for Finlay won’t let go.
Returning home after six years, one look is all it takes to know he can’t live without her. But sometimes love isn’t enough to heal what hurts. Sometimes people like him can’t be fixed, and sometimes people like Finlay deserve more than what’s left.
This is a story about war and the cost of sacrifice. Where bonds are formed, and friendships found. Where those who are strong, fall hard. Where love is let go, heartache is born, and heroes are made. Where one man learns that the hardest fight of all, is the fight to save himself.
At nineteen, Ryan leaves to join the Australian Army. After years of training he becomes an elite SAS soldier and deploys to the Afghanistan war. His patrol undertakes the most dangerous missions a soldier can face. But no matter how far he runs, or how hard he fights, his need for Finlay won’t let go.
Returning home after six years, one look is all it takes to know he can’t live without her. But sometimes love isn’t enough to heal what hurts. Sometimes people like him can’t be fixed, and sometimes people like Finlay deserve more than what’s left.
This is a story about war and the cost of sacrifice. Where bonds are formed, and friendships found. Where those who are strong, fall hard. Where love is let go, heartache is born, and heroes are made. Where one man learns that the hardest fight of all, is the fight to save himself.
Purchase Links:
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/Io98di
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1cUejLa
Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/19cyvW4
iTunes: http://bit.ly/1cU1aBK
B&N (still a pre-order): http://bit.ly/1anoIMv
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1fXiqez
Kobo - nothing yet.
Author Bio:
Kate McCarthy grew up in a small town outside of Port Macquarie, Australia. Raised in a house just a short walk to the beach, Kate enjoyed the peaceful, relaxed atmosphere and friendships that come from being raised in a friendly, small town area.
She now resides in Brisbane, Australia, a city in the state of Queensland where she works as an accountant, along with a sideline wedding cake business and her writing.
She is married with two children, has two dogs and house in the suburbs, and a pile of friends and family dotted all over the country that help keep her sane.
When she’s not busy running after naughty kids, filthy dogs, crunching numbers, piping buttercream and writing books, you can find her curled up in bed in the early hours of the morning reading new books and re-reading old favourites. Her favourite books are the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward in which she longs to eventually join the brotherhood and change her name to Phierce Mutha.
She now resides in Brisbane, Australia, a city in the state of Queensland where she works as an accountant, along with a sideline wedding cake business and her writing.
She is married with two children, has two dogs and house in the suburbs, and a pile of friends and family dotted all over the country that help keep her sane.
When she’s not busy running after naughty kids, filthy dogs, crunching numbers, piping buttercream and writing books, you can find her curled up in bed in the early hours of the morning reading new books and re-reading old favourites. Her favourite books are the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward in which she longs to eventually join the brotherhood and change her name to Phierce Mutha.
Author Media Links:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/KateMcCarthyAuthor
Twitter - https://twitter.com/KMacinOz
Website - http://katemccarthy.net/
REVIEW! *****
I have had a lot of books touch me in some way or another and
this is one of those books. This book reached down into the depths of my heart
and soul and touched every single part of it. This was one of the most emotional
and most beautiful books I’ve ever read before. It truly was an inspirational
book that I will remember reading forever. It will rip your heart apart and
slowly put the pieces back together with the beauty of it.
I absolutely fell in love with all the characters in this
story. They were all absolutely amazing. Finlay is such a strong and beautiful
girl. She has such an amazing heart and I was so glad that everyone around her
wanted to protect her and make sure that her dreams come true. I felt so bad
for her when Ryan left; it broke me into a million pieces. I just wanted them
to be together and in love, but not everything goes the way you want it to. I
was so happy she had Rachael her best friend. Rachael was the best friend that
a girl hopes for. Always looking out for Fin and no matter what she was there
when she needed someone to lean on.
Then you have Ryan and Jake. The two most amazing men in the
entire world. I loved both of them. They are both amazing and when you read the
story you will see why. They touch your heart in so many ways. Jake is the best
brother ever to Finlay and I love that there relationship is so solid and
strong. It’s a relationship that any girl wants to have with her big brother.
Not to mention Jake is every girls dream guy, the man is compassionate, strong,
and has a beautiful soul. Now let’s not forget Ryan, I love and I mean Love
him. He had me in a puddle of goo about the whole book. I wanted nothing more
than to comfort him and let him know that it would be alright that he could trust
Fin and his heart. Ryan is amazing in so many ways. Always sacrificing his
happiness to make sure those he cares for and loves are happy. He is an
inspiration of a man.
I loved his and Finlay’s love. It was pure and honest and no
matter how hard they tried to ignore it it always pulled them together again.
They belonged together in every way and it was truly a sweet love that they
shared. I couldn’t get enough of their relationship and I was rooting for them
the whole book.
This was the first book I’ve read about men that fight overseas
and it absolutely broke me. You can’t imagine what our fighters go through day
after day and how they cope with what they see overseas. The whole book was an
inspiration. I was completely drawn into the book and I never put it down once
I started it. Even though that I bawled my eyes out through about the entire
book. I literally had to take off my glasses so I could see that is how bad I
cried while reading this book. I can’t imagine saying goodbye to someone I love
and not knowing whether or not they’d return safely to me or if someone would show
up at my door to let me know they were killed in battle. If you love a great
book that will inspire you and make you look at the world in a whole new way
then this is the book for you. It’s a beautiful story that I will carry along
with me and never forget. Kate McCarthy has most definitely become one of my
new favorite authors as well as this book being one of my new favorites this
year.
Excerpt:
Later that morning after their
workout and shower, Jake fell asleep on the couch. Feeling at a loss with
nothing but time on his hands, Ryan wandered down the hall towards Fin’s room.
She was sitting at a little study nook in the corner, laptop open with one foot
resting on her chair. She was wearing a tank top and a little pair of shorts.
Leaning up against the doorframe, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from those
long, delectable legs.
As though sensing his presence,
she turned in her chair. He forced his eyes upwards, catching a sexy flush fill
her cheeks at his blatant perusal.
“Morning, Ryan.” She took off her
black framed reading glasses and tossed them on the desk.
“Morning, Fin,” he replied.
Against his better judgment, Ryan
pushed away from the door and walked farther into the room. Fin hadn’t changed
at all and neither had his desire for her. His heart kicked over when she met
his eyes. He knew everything he was feeling right now was written all over him,
but he couldn’t seem to shut it off.
Her eyelids fluttered closed and
she whispered, “Why now?”
Ryan took a deep breath. “I don’t
know,” he replied honestly.
He shouldn’t still be feeling
this way after so many years. Why was he doing this to her, and to himself? It was
better for everyone if he stayed away like he was supposed to.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have
come. I’ll go stay at the barracks.” He turned to leave.
“Ryan!” she called out.
Scrambling out of the chair, she grabbed his arm as he was halfway out the door.
“Fin,” he warned, looking down at
her hand pointedly.
She took a step closer and he
breathed her in, her scent like jasmine on a hot summer’s day. He was surprised
when he looked into her eyes and saw anger burning hotly in their depths.
“Six years, Ryan. Do you know how
hurt I was, each day passing by and getting nothing—not even a note or an
email? I didn’t just lose you. I lost my brother too. Both of you left me, and
I was okay with that. I understood that this was what you needed to do, so I
moved on. I built a life that doesn’t include you. That was what I had to do.” She paused and raised a
shaky hand to cup his cheek. “I’d have given you my entire heart if you’d only
asked, but it’s not yours now. It’s not yours.”
Ryan closed his eyes, agony for
losing what was never his rose in his chest until he felt strangled by it. He
placed his hand over hers, holding it there until she tugged it away.
“You’re right,” Fin told him.
“You should stay on the barracks … but I don’t want you to. Damn you, Ryan,”
she whispered fiercely. “I don’t want you to.”
Ryan used his bulk to crowd her against the wall until there
was no room for her to move. Leaning one hand against the wall, he grabbed her
hip with the other. Her breathing rose rapidly and he leaned in, ducking his
head until their mouths hovered a mere breath apart.
“Why can’t I force myself to
leave?” He rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. “I hurt too.
For six years I fought every day not to think of you, and I lost, because every
day you were all I could see. You were the best thing in my life—so sweet and
innocent, and so goddamn tempting.” His hand strayed from her hip and slid down
to grip her ass. He swallowed the groan. “I stayed away so you could move on.”
Song list:
Trading Yesterday – For You Only
Buffalo Tales – Crazy Heart
Green Day – 21 Guns
The Fray – Never Say Never
James Arthur – Impossible
Olly Murs – Dear Darlin'
Coldplay – The Scientist
Placebo – Running Up That Hill
Andy Burrows – Hometown
City and Colour – Sleeping Sickness
Thirty Seconds To Mars – This Is War
Sia – I Go To Sleep
Coldplay – Yellow
Coldplay – Fix You
The Fray – Be Still
Damien Rice – 9 Crimes
The Fray – How To Save A Life - New Album Version
Buffalo Tales – Crazy Heart
Green Day – 21 Guns
The Fray – Never Say Never
James Arthur – Impossible
Olly Murs – Dear Darlin'
Coldplay – The Scientist
Placebo – Running Up That Hill
Andy Burrows – Hometown
City and Colour – Sleeping Sickness
Thirty Seconds To Mars – This Is War
Sia – I Go To Sleep
Coldplay – Yellow
Coldplay – Fix You
The Fray – Be Still
Damien Rice – 9 Crimes
The Fray – How To Save A Life - New Album Version
Giveaway Prizes:
Signed Copies + Ryan's dog tags (pic attached below), ebooks, gift cards
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Being a military wife, I am anxious to read this! I have heard such good things, but I don't know emotionally if I will be able to handle it so I keep putting it off!
ReplyDeleteI have heard lots of good things about this. Would love to read this. :) (Amber Douglas McCallister on FB)
ReplyDelete